Vessel occlusion is often necessary in a variety of cases including but not limited to treatment of aneurysms, atrial septal defects, patent foramen ovale, left atrial appendage occlusion, patent ductus arteriosis, fistula, arterio-venous malformations, fallopian tube occlusion for the purposes of sterilization, and occlusion in the peripheral vasculature. One method of vessel occlusion involves filling the vessel or malformation or aneurysm with coils for the purposes of embolization. Such coils may be called embolic coils. Typical embolic coil technologies utilize a set length of coil so the coils may be introduced in various stages. If the coil is too short to sufficiently pack the vessel/malformation/aneurysm multiple coils may need to be introduced, which can lengthen procedure time. If the coil is too long for the space there is a danger of the coil protruding out of the vessel/malformation/aneurysm. The use of a variable length detachable coil would allow a precise amount of embolic coil to be placed within the vessel/malformation/aneurysm.
Guidewires are typically used to track a delivery device to a particular target area within the vasculature. Navigation through tortuous anatomy can be difficult. A guidewire that could manipulate its shape within the vasculature to aid in navigation and tracking would thus be beneficial.
A catheter sensor system may be used to interact with an embolic coil in order to detach the embolic coil at one or more points along the coil. The catheter sensor system may also be used with other devices such as a guidewire. The guidewire may bend in response to an impulse conveyed via electrical contact with the one or more catheter sensors.